Bag-filling machine



J. WARD BAG FILLING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Feb 12,1929. 1,701,830

J. WARD BAG FILLI NG MACHINE Filed April 16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED srATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA WARD, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO BATES VALVE BAG CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION 01'DELAWARE.

BAG-FILLING- MACHINE.

Application filed April 16, 1926. Serial No. l02,400.

possible to have the weight responsive mech-.

anism mounted adjacent the filling spout, with the bag support suspendedfrom adjacent to this point, thereby reducing the torque of thefilledbag about the forward fulcrum point to a minimum. The invention consistsin the novel features, arrangements, and combination of parts embodiedby way of example in the apparatus hereinafter described as illustratingthe pre ferred form of the invention, and the inventhe appended claims.

This invention is a continuation, in part, of the copending application,Ser. No. 28,551, filed May 7, 1925.. i

Further objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appearfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, which show by way of example, the preferred embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings in which the same reference charactersindicate the same parts of the various views:

Fig. .1 is a side elevation of the machine, with certain parts brokenaway, showing the machine in filling position,

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 1, butshowing the machine in non-filling position,

Fig-3 is a detailed View showing the filling spout, shut-off mechanismand other parts in section with the various parts moved into fillingposition as shown in Fig. 1,-

-Fig. 4 is a section taken at 4-4 of Fig: 3,

Fig. 5 is a section at 5- -5 of Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a section taken at 66of Fig. 2, and

r tion will be more particularly pointed out in.

Fig. 7 is a front view showing details of the filling throat and fillingspout.

Before taking up a detailed description of the machine, a generaldescription will be given setting forth some of the most importantfeaturesin a general way. A feed bop. per, for holding .the fillingmaterial, is sup- I ported adj acent the top of the frame structure. Acentrifugal impeller or other suitable feed means isprovided adjacentthe lower end-of. this hopper for forcibly feeding the material, and afeed throat is provided adjacent this impeller and has an opening inregister with a fixed bag valve filling spout, which is rigidlyconnected to the feed throat. The valve bag support is mounted adjacentthe fixed filling spout and is adapted, in the'present embodiment, toextend into the valve of the bag and hold the same in a distended con'dition for the introduction of material from the filling spout, and thissupport is movable with respect to the'spout. The bag support is carriedon suitable weight responsive meansi;

and is adapted to be moved when the bag has received a predeterminedweight of material. The feed throat is provided with a gate which isoperated by gravity to close the feed throat. This gate is held in openposition by suitable so mechanism which is controlled by the weightresponsivedevice to thereby permit the gate to cut ofi the flow ofmaterial when a predetermined amount has been fed into the bag beingfilled. For means of simplicity, the embodiment shown illustrates asingle unit filling machine; but it is to be understood, as will beobvious to those skilled in the art, that a plurality of units may beembodied in a single machine as is customery in usual practice, and theembodiment is merely by way of illustrating the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, ahopper or bin 1 for holding the filling material, such for ex- 5 ampleas cement, is supported by upright members 22 and 33., which areattached at their lower ends to base members H". The rear uprightmembers 55 are also attached to the base members 47-49 and diagonalbrace members 66 are attached to the upper ends of the members 5-3 and 53 respectively. Diagonal brace members 7 -7 a are attached to theuprights 3 -3'*- adjacent the hopper 1, and to the lower portion ofuprights 55, respectively. A longitudinal, substantially horizontalmember 8, extending forwardly and rearwardly of the machine, issupportedat its respective ends by the members 8 and 5, to which it isattached by suitable means such as rivets; and a corresponding member 8is similarly supported by members 3 and 5 for purposes to be more fullydescribed following.

The lower end of the feed hopper 1 is pro vi'ded with a discharge throat9 connected rigidly thereto, and provided with an opening 10 in registerwith a tubular lilling spout 11, rigidly connected thereto, such forexample as by being inserted snugly in a bore provided adjacent the facethereof. The front face of the throat 9 is cut out at 9 and 9 adjacentthe upper and lower outer periphery respectively of the tube 11 as shownin Fig. 7,

for purposes to be described following. The

filling tube 11 is slotted longitudinally along its upper periphery fora substantial distance back from its outer end as indicated at 12. Thisfilling spout is adapted to extend into the valve opening of a valve bagfor the introduction of filling material to be inserted in the bag fromthe feed hopper 1.

A cross piece 13 (see also Fig. 5) is attached to the rear face of theuprights 33 and carries suitable knife edge weighing beam fulcrum points14L and 14* adapted to support the fulcrum arms or weighing beams 15 and15*, respectively. The rear ends of the fulcrum arms are attachedtogether as by the cross piece 16, and the forward ends of the fulcrumarms are attached together-as by the cross piece 17 A suitable weight 18(see also Fig. 6) is suspended by the members 19-19 from a cross bar 20,which is provided at its respective ends with knife edges 21-21 whichare seated in'suitable recesses in the respective arms 1515 A suitablerider weight or supplemental balance weight 22 is mounted on. thefulcrum arms adjacent their forward ends- The forward end of the fulcrumarms are provided with suitable recesses to accommodate fulcrum points2323 (see also Fig. 4) which are attached to'the plate 24,

which carries rigidly connected thereto, a bag support 25. The support25 is, in the present embodiment, in the form of a channel of invertedU-shaped cross-section and provided with a cylindrical inner end (seealso Figs. 3 and 7 which is seated in a suitable bore in the plate 24,rigidly attaching the support to the plate. The upper portion oftheinverted channel support is provided with a longitudinal slot 26 inalignment with the slot 12 formed'in the tube 11 and extendingsubstantially the same distance back as the slot 12. The invertedU-shaped channel 25 partially surrounds the tube 11 adjacent its outerend and, in the present embodiment, entirely surrounds the tube 11adjacent the base or inner end of the support 25. The support 25 is of aan internal diameter slightly greater than'the bag in proper position asherein set forth and may either be capable of entirely supporting thebag or not, as is desired.

Upright members 28 and28 are attached to the rear of theplate 24, extenddownwardly therefrom and carry at their lower ends a stirrup member 29which may support the bag being filled, although this stirrup support isnot essential and is merely provided in case it is desired to relievethe strain on the upper supporting lip of the bag. It is obvious that ifthe stirrup is removed and the bag lip sufficiently strong, theoperation of the machine will not be adversely effected. In order tore-' strict the support 25, plate 24 and parts con nected thereto, suchas the members 2828, to a parallel substantially vertical motion, acompression rod 30 is provided having suitable means for adjusting itslength and being pivoted at its rear end to a' member 31 attached to theuprights 33 and at its for-. ward end being connected to the plate 24:by means of a clip 32 attached to the uprights 2828; the pivot pointsat'the front and rear ends of the member 30 being in vertical alignmentrespectively with the fulcrum points 2323 and 14-14".

A cut-off gate (Fig. 3), such as 33, passes through a closely fittingpassage in the throat 9 transversely to and in the path of the opening10. This gate is provided with an opening 34: normally in alignment withthe opening 10, such as during the filling operation, but adapted to bemoved out of alignment therewith when the gate 33 is moved downwardly. Aweight 35 is attached to the lower end of the gate 33 and is adapted toclose the gate by gravity when the same is free to be so moved. Theupper end of the gate 33 is provided with an engagement 36 adapted to belocked by the end 37 of the latch 38, which is pivoted adjacent itsupper end to a suitable bracket such as 39 fastened'to the feed hopper1, orother suitable stationary part of the machine. The lower end of thelatch 38 is weighted to cause the end 37- to gravitate into engagementwith the member 36 when released for such movement. A

33 and adapted to slide therein. Referring to Fig. 1, a forwardlyextending suspension arm 42 is attached at its rear end to the plate 24,and carries a weighted member 43, provided with a lower arcuate serratededge for engaging the top of the valve bag. The

weight 43 is pivoted at its forward end to a downwardly extendingportion of the arm 42 and is pivoted at its rear end to a'suitableconnecting link which is in turn pivotally attached to\bell crank 44,pivotally attached to the arm 42; the upper end of the bell crank 44extends upwardly adjacent the upper ends of the bell'crank 40 and latch38. A bracket 45 is attached adjacent the rear end of the members 88extending upwardly therefrom; and a bell crank 46 is pivotally attachedadjacent its upper end. The bell crank 46 is provided with a rearwardlyex tending arm carrying a weight 47 and an upwardly extending arm 48,which is rod 49, provided with a suitable forward looped end, which isin slidable engagement with the block 50 attached to the rear end of thecontrol rod 51. The control rod 51 is slidably mounted in suitablebearings at-- "51 in the position shown in Fig. 1, the weight 43 ispermitted to gravitate to its downward position, where it is adapted toengage the bag beingfilled, and firmly hold the same on the support 25,and the bell crank 40 is in its extreme anti-clockwise position; and thelatch 38 has been allowed to gravitate into locking engagement with thelock 36 on the gate 33. An inverted U-s'haped bridging member 55 isrigidly connected at the ends of its respective downwardly extendingarms to the rear end of the fulcrum arms 15-15, and carries suitablyattached at its upper base a trigger '56 adapted toengage the upperextremity of'the arm 48 of the bell crank 46.

The engaging portions of the trigger 56 and arm 48 are formed-so as topresent a minimum amount of friction between these parts. The trigger 56is provided with a suitable-weight 57 which in conjunction with thetrigger, bracket 55 andother associated parts, so substantially balancesthe mass of weights at tached to the plate 24 that the structuralweights at the forward and rear end, respectively, of the balance of thefulcrum arms will be so proportioned that a sensitiveweight regulationmay be obtained by means of the balance weights 18 and 22.

Referring to Fig. 2, thefeed hopper 1 is iv=' otally connected to aforwardly exten ing It will It will be understood by those skilled inthe art that although only one unit is shown by way of describing thisinvention, yet a plurality of units, such as described, may be mountedside by side as is usually the custom 'in this type of machine; and insuch case the feed hopper will extend the entire length of the machineand may be common to all of the units, and a centrifugal impeller may beprovided for each discharge throat.

Operation.

Fig.2 shows the position of the weighing mechanism and associated partsprior to the filling operation. The hopper 1 having been filled withfilling material and the impeller 58 placed in operation by suitablemotive means, an empty bag is placed on the support 25 in the followingmanner. The bag support 25 is inserted into the valve opening of the-bagso that the support will hold the valve in a distended condition, withthe filling tube 11 extending into the valve opening of the bag asubstantial distance, and free from frictional engagement with the bagor its movable support; The weighing beam is in its unbalanced positionwith its rear end held downwardly by means of the weight 18 and itsforward end in its upper position, the weights 18 and 22 beingset forthe predetermined amount ofmaterial to be filled into the bag.

The operating handle 52 is pulled forward in the position shown in Figs.1 and 3. This moves the abutment 53 forwardly, thereby allowing theweight 43 to gravitate downwardly, so that its serrated lower edge movesinto engagement with the top of the bag now being supported on thesupport 25. The abutment 54 is simultaneously moved forward intoengagement with the up erarm of the bell crank 40- and isreleased actionraises the gate 33, by means of the upward movement of the rear end ofthe bell crank 40 engaging the gate 33, and allows the lower end of thelatch 38 to gravitate into engagement with the catch 36'carried on the Vrom engagement with the latch 38. This double gate 33, to thereby lockthe gate in its open position with the opening 34 in alignment with thefeed throat passage 10. The forward movement of the handle 52 carryingmits the rod 52 and the abutments carried thereby to remain in theposition shown .in Fig. 3.

The filling material is now being fed through the opening 10 in thethroat 9 and out through the spout 11 rigidly attached thereto and inalignment therewith, and is passing into the bag, which is beingsuported on the member 25 on which it is held y means of the serratedportion of the weight In this connection it will be noted that the frontpivot support of the weight 43 being elevated to such an extent that theweight is inclined downwardly and rearwardly, any tendency of the bag tomove forward on its support against the serrated edges of the weightwill tend to move the serrations forward, which will tend to cause aclockwise rotation of the weight about its front support, .therebycausing a greater gripping force between the weight and the bag.

against its support. When the predetermined amount of material has beenfed into the bag, such as will overcome the balance weights carried bythe fulcrum arms,

the fulcrum arms 15--1 5 will be tipped downwardly at their forward end,which will cause their rear ends to be raised thereby raising the bridgemember and associated parts and causing the trigger 56 to release thearm 48 of the bell crank 46; and when such release has taken-place, theweight l7 will gravitate downwardly to thereby move the rod 49rearwardly, moving with it the control rod 51. This causes abutment. 54to release the bell crank s0 and to engage the latch 38, rotating thesame in a clockwise direction to thereby release the engagement 36 andallow gate 33 to be moved downwardly due to the gravitation of theweight 35, hence acting to close the throat opening 10 to thereby cutoff the flow of filling material; and simultaneously the abutment 53rotates the bell crank 44 in a clockwise direction, thereby raising theweight 48 to release its serrated edge from, engagement with the bag.The upward movement of the rear ends of the fulcrum arms Iii-1.5 may belimited by suitable stop means carried'on the longitudinal members 88such for example as the stop means 8". I

During the above filling operation, any filling material which mighthave been blown out through the space between the inner pe riphery ofthe support 25 and the outer periphery of the filling tube 11 isprovided with a free rearward passage by means of the cutout portions 9and 9 in the face of the filling throat 9. The slot 12, formed in thefilling tube 11. allows a limited amount of the cement being filled intothe bag to create a turbulence through the slot 26 against the upperportion of the bag,,which thereby acts to prevent clogging of thefilling material between the upper interior wall of the superation; andtherefore the sensitiveness of the weight responsive device ismaintained at. a maximum throughout the weighing operation, and is notsubject to variation since it is entirely free of any contacting,relatively .moving parts between which grit or dirt could collect.

The filled bag is now removed and the.

load having been removed from the forward end of the balance mechanism,the parts return to their normal position and the trigger 5,6 isallowed. to gravitate back to its lower engaging position. Thiscompletes the filling operation, and ends one cycle of opera tion.

Referring to Fig.1, it will be noted that with the machine in thefilling position as here shown provision is made to manually cutoff theflow of filling material with the balance beam in the position hereshown by merely moving the control handle 52 rearwardly. Due to theblock connection 50 with the forward looped end of the control rod 49,this rearward movement'of the con- "trol handle 52 will not beinterfered with by the lock lever 48.

'It will be seen from the above description of the machine and operationthereof that this invention eliminates the friction inherent in machinesof this class heretofore employed. In the machines heretofore em ployedthe relatively movable surfaces acljacent the filling spout were infrictional con- ;tact and were subjected to the grit and dirt of thefilling material, thereby causing sufficient friction to affect theweighing operation.

'It will also be obvious that by limiting the relative movement of theweight responsive device with respect to other associated parts'of themechanism to a minimum, even the slight friction of the knife edges ofthe weighing apparatus is reduced to an absolute minimum. This inventioncomprises not only the two. features above enumerated, but many otherfeatures, as will be well understood and appreciated by those skilled inthe art after understanding the invention, which provides an apparatusof great efficiency, simplicity and durability.

Having thus described my inventioniwith particularity with reference tothe Preferred embodiment of the same, and having referred to some of thepossible modifications thereof, y

it will be obvious to those skilled in the art after understanding myinvention, that other changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, and I aimin tially horizontally extending device mounted on the weighingmechanism in juxtaposition to but out of substantial weight aflectingengagement with the' feed spout and movable with said weighing mechanismand adapted to extend into said valve of the bag to support the bag andhold the valve extended and out of engagement with the feed spout duringthe weighing operation, so that said support and bag are free ofsubstantial weight affecting engagement with the feed spout.

2. In a valve bag filling bination of wei hing mechanism, feedingmechanism, a su stantially horizontal feed spout fixedwith respect tothe feeding mechanism and in communication therewith and adapted toextend into the valve of the bag to feed material into, the bag, asubstantially horizontally extending device mounted on the weighingmechanism in juxtaposition to but out of substantial weight affectingengagement with the feed spout and movable with said-weighing mechanismand adapted to extend into said valve of the bag to sup port the bag andhold the valve extended and out of engagement with. thefeed spout duringthe weighing operation, so that said spout, and means operableresponsive to a predetermined weight of material in the bag to cut offthe flow of materialto the ba 3. In a valve bag filling machine, t ecombination of a substantially horizontal fixed valvebag filling spoutadapted to conduct the filling material into a valve bag, closure meanscooperating, with said 1s out and adapted to close the same, meanscosely adjacent said spout adapted to extend into the supporting said bagand movable with re f valve opening of said ,bag to be filled forspect'to said spout responsive to the weight of said bag when thepredetermined weight of filling'material has been'received there n, the

movement of said support serving to-actuatef said closure means, I

v 4. In a valve bag fillin machine, the combination of a substantia lyhorizontalfixed valve bag fillingspout adapted to extend intothe valveof the bagfor filling the same, means closely adjacent said "spoutadapted.

to extend into the valve openingiof said bag machine, the com-' to befilled for supporting sai. bag and movable with respect to said sp'v ut,and means operable simultaneously with said supportmaterial through saidspout. I

5. In a valve bag filling machine, the combination of feeding means, asubstantially horizontal filling spout fixed in position with respect tothe feeding means in feeding communication therewith adapted to extendinto the valve of the bag for filling the same, means disposed partlyaround said spout tor supporting said valve bag and movable with res ectto said spout responsive to the weight of lling material, closure meansfor shutting off the fiow of filling material, and control means alsoresponsive to the weight of filling material for operating said closuremeans.

6. In a valve bag filling machine, the combination of a substantiallyhorizontal fixed filling spout adapted to extend into the valve of thebag for filling the same, weight responsive' means provided with aportlon closely adjacent to said spout for supporting said bag andadapted to shield said spout from substantial frictional engagement withsaid bag, and closure means operable by said weight responsive means forshutting ofl the flow of material through said spout.

7. In a'valve bag fillingmachine, the combination of a bag supportadapted toextend' into the valve opening of the bagto hold said valve ina substantially distended condition and movable responsive to the wei htof said filled bag, a relatively stationary ling spout operativelyconnected to a filling source adapted to feedfilling material throughsaid valve while in its distended condition and in support and bag arefree of substantial weight affecting engagement with the feed 7continuous cross-sectional alignment with said valve while said bag ison said support and'fre'e from engagement with said support, and meansalso operable'responsive to.

said filled bag, axrelatively stationary filling spout operativelyconnected to a filling source adapte to extend into said distended valvein substantial non-frictional relation thereto to feed filling materialthrough said valve while in its distended'condition and in continuouscross-sectional alignment 'with said valve while said bag is on saidsupport and free from engagement with said support, and

closure means controlled responsive'to the movement of said bag supportfor shutting oil the flow of filling material when a predeterminedamount has been fed into said tion and movable responsive to the weightof bag, said spout remaining in substantially non-frictional relationwith respect to said bag during the weighing operation.

9. In a valve bag filling machine, the coinbination of a bag supportadapted to extend into the valve opening of the bag and hold said valveina substantially distended condition and movable responsive to theweight of said filled bag, a relatively stationary filling spoutoperatively connected to a filling source positioned within said supportand adapted to extend into the valve opening of said bag to feed fillingmaterial thereto free from weight ai'lecting frictional engagement withsaid support and said bag carried thereby, and means also responsive tothe weight of said filled bag for shutting off the flow -of fillingmaterial when a predetermined amount has beented into said bag.

10. In a valve bag filling machine, the combination of an invertedU-shaped bag support adapted to extend into the valve opening of the bagto hold said valve in a substantial distended condition and movableresponsive to the weight of'said filled bag, a relatively stationaryfilling spout spaced a slight distance beneath and partially within saidsupport extending substantially parallel thereto connected to a fillingsource and adapted to feed filling material through said valve openingwhile in its said distended condition, and means also operable by theweight of said filled bag for shutting oil the flow combination of anapproximately horizontal feeding spout adapted to enter the valve of abag to be filled, a weighing device, means supporting on the weighingdevice a bag to be filled and maintaining the bag out of weightafl'ecting engagement with said spout during filling and weighing, aclosure for the spout, and means responsive to the weighing means formoving the closure to close the spout.

13. In a valve bag-filling machine, the combination of a substantiallyhorizontal filling spout adapted to enter the valve of a bag to befilled a weighing device, and a bag support on the weighing devicespaced upward from the spout and adapted to enter the valve of a bag tobe filled.

In .testimony whereof I have signed by name to this specification.

JOSHUA WARD.

